ABSTRACT
This chapter provides Azerbaijan profiles, including key information about the relevant corporate sustainability and responsibility (CSR) history, country-specific issues, trends, research, education and leading organizations. Historically, charitable activities in Azerbaijan were rooted in Islamic religious beliefs that inspired believers to provide assistance to vulnerable groups. The wealthiest Azerbaijanis in Baku belonged to one such charitable organisation—the Muslim Philanthropic Society—which collected money to support vulnerable groups of the population. CSR remains mostly at the philanthropic stage of development in Azerbaijan. An Economic Research Center survey on CSR in Azerbaijan revealed that 70% of respondents would be willing to engage in CSR activities if they were to receive a tax exemption. A long lasting ethno-political conflict associated with territorial claims and military aggression on the part of Armenia against Azerbaijan resulted in the Armenian occupation of about 20% of Azerbaijan's territory. There are no CSR-related degrees or courses offered by any leading university in Azerbaijan.
